The biggest challenge in learning Dynamic SQL is to get past your initial fear of this feature. Of course, with any advanced technology comes risk with its misuse. In the case of Dynamic SQL, the chances of encountering security or performance issues often outweigh the potential benefits. With proper understanding of the underlying mechanisms, you […]
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If you ask several performance tuning specialists separately about the most irritating feature in the Oracle environment, very often you will hear exactly the same answer: the PL/SQL code wrapper. It is true that even Oracle uses it to protect internal packages. However, Oracle can be trusted to perform adequate testing and provide support if […]
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This series of articles has focused on Cost-Based Optimizer (CBO) hints or directives to the cost-based optimizer (CBO) on manual directions for the explain plan (be sure to read part 1, part 2 and part 3). In this final article, let’s take a look at the hints that I do use. QB_NAME Hint I use the QB_NAME hint quite […]
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I have had to use far fewer hints starting with Oracle10. This optimizer takes a much closer look at index processing than all prior Oracle databases. I have found I simply don’t need index hints of any kind anymore. Try this during your testing. This setting will cause the CBO to ignore any hint […]
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This article series will focus using Oracle cost-based optimizer (CBO) hints, and this second article on producing a series of hints that will replicate an exact explain plan. In Part 1, we discussed the OUTLINE produced by DBMS_XPLAN.Display(FORMAT=>’OUTLINE’), I find the IGNORE_OPTIM_EMBEDDED_HINTS to be an interesting hint to appear here. This hint says to ignore all hints. […]
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This article series will focus using Oracle cost-based optimizer (CBO) hints, and this first article on producing a series of hints that will replicate an exact explain plan. This technique might be useful for some problem SQL but this technique is also a useful learning tool for hints. Remember, the DBMS_XPAN.Display procedure can be run […]
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If you are a SQL Server DBA, you must have heard of database called mssqlsystemresource. This mystery database isn’t known by many because this is not visible to all. There are few special characteristics of this database which are often misunderstood, but good to know about. The reasons for this database will become evident after you read this […]
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While backups are the backbone for any database administrator, there hasn’t been much improvement in this space for a long time. Now, a new feature in SQL Server 2014 called Encrypted Backups, lets you choose to encrypt the backup file during a backup operation. You must use either a certificate or an asymmetric key to perform encryption during […]
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If you have read about new features introduced in SQL Server 2014, then you must have learned about the Buffer Pool Extension feature. This feature which will help DBAs to extend the Buffer Pool size beyond available physical RAM. One can easily compare this to the page file for an operating system – but it is even […]
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In the 1990s and early 2000s, it was considered common knowledge that Oracle databases were not very good at pure number crunching. As a result, many people used C-based and other external methods to perform extensive calculations. Eventually, Oracle introduced a group of datatypes that could finally provide the required level of performance: BINARY_INTEGER, BINARY_FLOAT, […]
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One of the most typical problems when processing textual information is filtering out good characters from bad characters. The approach of splitting strings into single-symbol arrays and validating them against a given list was outdated many years ago. But even when using the built-in functionality provided by Oracle, you need to understand the strengths and […]
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SimpleReach Slide Plugin Version: 0.7.6 You’re still here? Why? There hasn’t been anything new to read here for weeks! Sorry, I’ve been busy, sitting in endless meetings, learning how to play “manager”. It hasn’t been pretty.I’m back, with a new tale of good versus evil. For dramatic effect, I suggest that you read this one […]
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